Pancetta And Saffron Rice Recipes

Steps:

• Pour vegetable stock into a saucepan over low heat. Cover and keep warm.
• Combine hot water and saffron threads in a small bowl.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a stovetop pressure cooker. Cook and stir onion until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add Arborio rice; cook and stir until toasted and coated with oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase heat and pour in wine; simmer until alcohol has evaporated and rice has absorbed wine, about 2 minutes.
• Stir vegetable stock and saffron mixture into the pressure cooker. Seal according to manufacturer's instructions. Increase heat to high; cook until cooker whistles, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for 4 minutes.
• Remove cooker from heat and release pressure according to manufacturer's instructions. Remove the lid. Stir in 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, pancetta, and butter. Let stand until rice absorbs remaining stock and Parmesan cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.
• In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan cheese. Mix well and serve.